DISTRIBUTION: Syssphinx jennyphillipsae (wingspan: males: mm; females: 77mm // forewing length: males: 32-35mm; females: probably larger) flies in El Salvador: San Salvador, 700m; and Costa Rica: Guanacaste, 310m. The forewing pm line is inwardly concave. Those specimens from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen, previously thought to be S. mexicana, are S. jennyphillipsae. S. jennyphillipsae, S. mexisinaloana and S. mexicana are quite similar. S. jennyphillipsae tends to be larger and darker yellow with a larger forewing cell mark, compared to S. mexisinaloana. Jennyphillipsae also has a slightly concave pm line while that of mexisinaloana is slightly convex or even s-shaped. I (Bill Oehlke) have examined the images on the BOLD website under jennyphillipsae, corresponding to the numbers in the Entomo-Satsphingia journal for jenyphilippsae specimens from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and they do NOT consistently follow the written description in the journal. Perhaps there are recording errors on the site or in the journal, or perhaps there is sufficient variation with in the species that determinations can only be done accurately with DNA barcoding analysis? Syssphinx jennyphillipsae male, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen. This is a very bright yellow moth. FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS: Moths are on the wing in June-July and probably in other months.Ryan Saint Laurent reports Eric Mathews captured a female on July 31, 1958, in El Salvadore, so the flight probably extends into at least August. Anticipated natural hosts are Acacia, Mimosa and Leucaena. Syssphinx jennyphillipsae female, 77mm, near San Salvador, El Salvador, July 31, 1958, leg Eric Mathews, Cornell University Collection, via Ryan Saint Laurent. Syssphinx jennyphillipsae female, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, courtesy of Dan Janzen. ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING: These moths come in to lights so it is expected that scenting and mating also take place after dark. EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE: Translucent, flattened, green eggs, each with a burgundy equatorial ring, are deposited in small groups of four to eight on hostplant foliage. After a few days, development can be seen through the eggshells. Early instar larvae have elongated thoracic scoli which point forward. Larvae bulk up considerably in final instar and, just before pupation, take on a brilliant burgandy dorsal stripe. Mature larvae descend host plants and excavate subterranean chambers in which to pupate. This pupa is approximately 30 mm long. Larval Food Plants It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful.The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile. Acacia collinsii Acacia cornigera...... Bullhorn acacia Bull's horn acacia Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page. Return to Syssphinx Genus Goto Mexican and Central American Saturniidae Directory Goto Main Saturniidae Index includes North America The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names. The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read. There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different. The genus name "Syssphinx" was probably chosen for the similarity of these moths (wing shape and resting position) to moths in the Sphingidae family. The species name "jennyphillipsae" is honourific of Eugenia (Jenny) Phillips Rodriguez of Costa Rica.